Method of conditioning printing ink



July .3,

' L. w. CLAYBOURN METHOD OF coum'noume PRINTING INK 2 Sheets- Sheet Filed Dec. 11, 1925 July 3, -192s L. W. CLAYBOURN METHOD OI" CONDITIONING PRINTING INK Filed Dec. 11, 1925 Iig .5-

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SI Z5 Z3 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 3, 1928.

UNITE!) STATES PATENT. OFFICE. I

LESLIE w. CLAYBOUBN, or ivrrnwannnn, Wisconsin. a

METHOD OF CONDITIONING ramming, 11m.

Application illed December 11, 1925. Serial m; 74,774.

Printing inks as usually manufactured "are madcofvarious kinds, grades and colors, and are then packed in barrels, drums, cans or other containers, and remain-in such containers an indefinite length of time before they finally'reach the" consumer and are put into ise in the printing ress. The ink so manufacturet and on the printingpress, andwhen used. the printing ink is fusually transferred from the container to the fountain of the printing press in the condition in which the printing ink is after the lapse of time dur-' ing which it has remained in the container,

, on the assumption that the printing ink is in thesame condition as when originally manufactured. I have found, however, that such printing ink hasstiitened upand that a seeming separation of the ingredients has taken place, such lapse of time also causing livering, of the printing ink, that is, caiisi ing the ink to become toughlike leather, caused, Iassume,by the mixing of certain driers with the rinting ink when manufactured, especial y driers containing sugar of lead, or other chemical driers.

It isthe object of my invention to condition inks so manufactured and delivered, and to "treat the same with my improved method just prior to use of the inks in the printing press. t In modern printing practice, clear definition ofthe printing lines is desirable, and

ofink' to. permit its ready transference rapid printing of the sheets or duplica- M tion of the printed matter on a web of paper is also desirable, in fact, the speeds with whichprinting is done under modern prac'" time is extremely great, resulting in the rapid piling of printing sheets or thicknesses of web of printed paper upon one another,

with a consequent smutting of the paper 'andoif-setting otthe printed surfaces of the sheet or portions of the web upon' the rear surfaces of sheets or portions of the websuperposed thereon, making expensive interleaving orother operations necessary.

It is the further objectof my invention tofreinove these objections by so conditioning the ink that it will flow freely, to permit of its being ap lied to the surfaces of the printing lines E cover said printing surfacewithout excess a time in Wet conditionfoii thepaper.

delivered I is in mixed state supposedly ready for use greater proportions than has heretofore been Itfmay be herestatcd that While paper is y the form rollers to from the printing 'surface to the paper,

and tocause its rapid drying when transferred to the paper, inordei' to avoid smutting, off-setting and otheryobjections incident to inks which may be sustainedfor It is the furtherobject of my "invention 1 to manufacture the printinginkwhich is to be packed in containers and to remain thereinan indefinite length, of time, as here- 1nbefor enplained, With -a substantially smaller proportion of drying ingredients than is now usual, or without suehi drying ingredients, and to supply adi'ying ingredicnt or drying ingredients, preferably in the practice in the manufacture of such ink,

just prior to the use of said printing ink in the printing press, and to thoroughly mix, churn, Whi and stir said drying in gredient or drymg ingredients with such ink and to thoroughly aerate the mixture. The drying ingredient or drying ingredients thus employed are preferably quickly oxidizingdrying ingredients. 1 i

My invention consists further in aerating 30 the ink just prior to its use; and, further,

in adding a so-called drier to the body of the ink and thoroughly mixing the same 111st prior to use of the ink in printing.

referred to as the article being printedymy improved method relates to and covers printing on other surfaces as well.

My invention is further applicable in color printing, especially in color printing where the colors are superposed" on the paper in successive steps While the paper is passing once through the printing press.

lncarrying out my invention, I preferably transfer the ink from the container 'in which it has been stored to a bowl, and

I thoroughly mix the ink by meansof a suitable stirrer, and also preferably add a,

regard for the absorbing properties of the latter. and also of the temperature and humidity of the room where the printing takes place. The mixing is preferably done close to the printing press, so that the ink upon being mixed may be quickly transferred to the ink fountain of the printing press and promptly used in the printing.

I have illustrated an exemplification of relations of mechanism which may be employed in performing my improved method, although the same may be manually per formed, or performed by other apparatus. An exemplifying apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the inking end of a conventional printing press, having a mixing device in adjacency thereto, for mixing the ink in accordance with my improved method.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same- Fig. 3 is a vertical axial section of the mixing device..

Fig. 4 is a plan "iew of the bowl and its support. 1

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional detail of the releasable connection between the stirrer shaft and the stirrer, taken in the plane of the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. V

The ink, as manufactm'ed and delivered to the consumer, maybe contained in a closed can 11, instanced as an example of an'ink container.

The mixing device 12 is instanced as embodying a stirrer 13, shown as having releasable connection with a shaft 15, journaled in a bearing 16, of a rotatable plate 17, secured to a shaft 18, rotated in suitable manner. The shaft 18 is journaled in a bearing 19 of an arm 20, extending from a column 21 of the main frame. The arm has aninternal gear 22 thereon, having an axis coincident with the axis of rotation of the shaft 18. A pinion 23 is on the shaft and meshes with the internal gears A shoulder 24 on the shaft 18, vcoacting with the bearing 19, maintains the plate in properly elevated position with relation to the arm, and a shoulder 25 on the shaft 15 coacting with the pinion 23, and engagement of the lower end of the pinion :23 with the bearing 16, holds the shaft 15 in axial position with relation to the plate.

The releasable connection between the i shaft 15 and the stirrer may be obtained by providing the lower end of the shaft with a hub 26, arranged to be received about the upper end of the shank of the stirrer, with a key connection 27 between said shaft and said hub and a thumb-screw 28 threaded in the hub, the inner end of the thumb-screw "being received in a recess 29 in the upper in a recess 32 of a support 33, shown as a extending from the column, and has threaded engagement with a nut 46, journaled in a bearing 47 of the arm 20, the nut having a bevel pinion 48 thereon, engaged by a bevel ,pinion 49 on a shaft 50, journaled in beari'ngson the arm 20, and provided with a hand-wheel 51. i i

The shaft 18 is arranged to be driven in any suitable manner, which may be accomplished by providing the same with a bevel gear 55, having spline-key and groove con-.

nection with said shaft, and meshed by a bevel pinion 56 on a shaft 57 journaled in a bearing 58' on the upper arm. The shaft 57 is arranged to be driven by an electric motor 59, the rotor of which is connected with the shaft 57 by a usual flexible coupling 60. This motor may be a variablespeed motor for imparting various speeds to the stirrer. v The shape of the stirrer is preferably such as to engage the side wall and bottom of the bowl so as to scrape the ink which impinges the wall of the bowl, away from such wall, so as tomove it into the body of the ink in the bowl, and to thoroughly whip and aerate the ink and produce a uniform consistency and color in the ink. The bottom of the bowl may have a central upwardly extending bulge 64 therein, forming an annular depression 65 coincident with the annular path ofthe lower end of the stirrer about the bottom of the bowl. The stirrer may be of any suitable shape for producing a thorough stirring and mixing of the ink in the bowl, and is preferably of such shape as to be readily cleaned. i

The operation of the machine is such as to impart a rotaryniovement to the stirrer and also a planetary movement inside the wall of the bowl.

he path of rotary movement of the stirrer is preferably eccentric with relation of the annular cross-section of thebowl.

The ink from the container, in which it has been packed, is transferred to the mixing bowl, preferably while the bowl and stirrer are in separated relation. Approach between the stirrer and thebowl is preferably caused while the stirrer is rotating, so as to include a continuously greater body of ink in the stirring operation. The desired amount of drier or oxidizing agent is added to the ink, preferably a little at a time during the stirrmg operation, until the iii desired amount has been added. Approach between the stirrer and the bowl is continued until the stirrer coacts with the bottom of the bowl, the stirring being then continued until the ink is conditioned.

In cases where an apparatusis used in which no approach between the stirrer and the bowl is provided for, the proper coactive relation between the stirrer and the bowl is obtained in suitable manner for providing a suitable stirring of the ink and the thorough mixing of the drying or oxidizing agent therewith. 1

I show an arrangement whereby the printing ink may be readilyimixed and aerated.

Bowls intended for different colors of printent colors maybe employed, in order that the mixing of different colors may take place in quick sequence without the necessity of cleaning stirrers previously used.

The printing press is exemplified at 71, and may be provided with one or more usual ink'fountains, exemplified at 72, depending on the number oi. colors which the press is intended to print, the printing press and fountain or fountains being provided with all usual and ordinary adjustments and devices usual. in printing presses, including form rollers.

The proportion of drying or oxidizing agent to the ink depends, heretofore stated, upon the kind, grade and color of the same, the character of the paper to be printed, and other conditions. I have found, under certain conditions of ink and paper, that an addition to the printing ink, as heretofore manufactured and packed, of five per cent of drying agent, such as a japan drier, which is well-known in the art,

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or sugar of lead, orother chemical driers, is advisable, although the percentage of drier or oxidizingagent to be added will vary under different conditions of temperature and humidity of air and the other conditions hereinbefore mentioned, and which will be apparent to a person skilled in theart under the teachings herein contained of my improved method.

The stirring of the ink, and of the drying or oxidizing agent when added, may be made at a speed ofthe stirrer desirably ranging fromfifty revolutions per minute toone hundred andfifty revolutions per minute, more or less, and: for a periodof-live to'fifteenminutes, more .orless, depending on the consistency of the ink and its ingredients, in order to r id a th m xing and aerating of th mum in my improved method I cause a rearrangement of theingredients ofthe ink and a tempering of the ink, and-I also introduce air into the ink in order to thoroughly aerate the same, and I thoroughly mix the added drier with the ink, accomplished by thorouoghly stirring the same, and render i nlrmore plastic and more readily flowa) e. by the fact thatthe ink will, before treatmentby my improvedli'nethod, be readily supportedupon an ink palette knife, whereas, after treatment by my. improved method,

the ink will .readily 'ilow from the! ink s;

palette knife.

By my improved methed a better distribution of the ink upon the printin surface of the printing types or plates or Iorm, anda more even application of the ink to the printing surfaceby the inking rollers, are

obtained, for applying a film of ink to the printing surface which is more readily transferred'to the paper or other material being printed than with ink not treated by my improved method. This further results in economy of ink, as a less quantity of ink is necessary for covering a given printed surface, and more definite and clearer impressions are obtained on the printed surface. The ink treated by my improved methed further permits quicker superposing, or socalled trapping of colors, as the effect of the addition of the drier or oxidizing agent tothe ink and the stirring and aerating of the same immediately before use, is to cause The latterincident may. be observed a quicker drying of the ink upon the applied surface, making clearer impressions in color work and other printing possible, and to cause greater affinity between the superposed layers of ink.

My improved method also results in reducing smutting ofthe printing and of the printed sheets, and off-setting of the printed surface upon the superposed sheets or thicknesses of printed material next to the same, and reduces the likelihood of the printed sheets or thicknesses of printed webs adhering to each other.

My improved method further permits the introduction of such a quantity of drier into the printing ink just before being used, which would be ruinous to stored printing inks, and thereby rovides for exceptionally quick drying of t e printing ink upon the printed material.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new. and desire to se cure by Letters Patent, is:

1.. In the art of print g, the method which comprises thoroughly stirring previously made ink together with drier added immediately previous to the printing with said ink, and then immediately printing with such ink thus prepared. 7

2. In the art of printing, the method which comprises stirring, aerating and adding additional drier to a previously made ink immediately before printing with said ink for thus conditioning said ink, and then immediately after such conditioning printing with such conditioned ink.

3. In the art of printing, the method which comprises stirring and aerating a previously made ink in the presence of additional drier added to said ink immediately prior to using said ink in the printing, whereby to increase fluidity-of the ink while printing therewith and to increase rapidity of drying of the printed ink, and thereupon immediately printing with such ink thus treated.

4. In the art of printing, the method which comprises adding a dryin and oxidizing agent to a previously ma e ink and stirring the mixture thereby formed immediately prior to employment of said ink in the printing, whereb to increase the sum of the bulks of sai previously made ink and said added drying and OXldiZiIlg agent, and thereby aerating the said ink and increasing its fluidity for application to the printing form and increasing the drying and oxidation of the printed ink and reducing off-setting, smutting and sticking of the printed material, and thereupon immediately printing with such ink thus treated.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

LESLIE W. CLAYBOURN. 

